Oklahoma Highway Patrol, OCFD, and Tow Truck on scene of accidents

[okc_f150]

Some quick videos I shot while at an accident scene yesterday and Friday.


http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/ctmcdonell/media/IMG_2965_zps09f7be44.mp4.html


http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/ctmcdonell/media/IMG_2940_zpsd7370382.mp4.html


http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/ctmcdonell/media/IMG_2964_zpscc04a3ba.mp4.html

 

[lafd55]

A couple things. What is the tow truck light law in Oklahoma? I wouldn't think Blue, Red, AND Amber would be allowed to the front. Also the rear lighting on the slicktop is TERRIBLE!!!! Definitely a Purple blur.

 

[pdk9]

I never understood why some states allow red/blue on wreckers. While they are very helpful resources, 99.99% of wreckers are not official emergency vehicles that have a reason to be confused with emergency vehicles or need to respond in a priority mode, & amber is probably the all-around most effective color day & night, so it's not like they would be lacking safety with an all amber setup.

 

[okc_f150]

A couple things. What is the tow truck light law in Oklahoma? I wouldn't think Blue, Red, AND Amber would be allowed to the front. Also the rear lighting on the slicktop is TERRIBLE!!!! Definitely a Purple blur.

I don't know the specific wording of the law, but 99% of all tow trucks in Oklahoma run red/blue/amber. The only ones that don't YET are the AAA wreckers.


There are talks at the capitol of passing a law that would allow tow trucks to RUN CODE (R/B and sirens) to scenes. Right now, they don't run them until they get to the area of the scene. They use them to get through traffic when the traffic is backed up at a scene.


As for the purple, yeah... it's a double decker deck light, really bright, really purple.

 

[HILO]

That OHP slick top is terrible.


What kind of First Responder are you? Both your work and personal vehicles list amber as the primary color.


Nevermind, I read back on your posts. Your not a first responder, your a storm chaser.

 

[okc_f150]

That OHP slick top is terrible.

What kind of First Responder are you? Both your work and personal vehicles list amber as the primary color.


Nevermind, I read back on your posts. Your not a first responder, your a storm chaser.

I am a storm tracker, but I am also a volunteer with REACT. The lights on the truck are Amber right now, but they will be slowly switched to blue.

 

[HILO]

Off to the ring I go...

 

[okc_f150]

Off to the ring I go...

PM sent as this thread is not a debate about the legality of my setup.

 

[PJD642]

PM sent as this thread is not a debate about the legality of my setup.

Careful, Hilo, REACT folks aren't the ones you want to mess with....

 

[lafd55]

Careful, Hilo, REACT folks aren't the ones you want to mess with....

Yea, because they can't take the truth about their legitimacy...

 

[J-Rock1944]

Red and blue on wreckers is completely alien to me. Even the Kentucky State Police wreckers stick with traditional wrecker colors. Usually amber/ white to the front, red amber to the rear. Most often with re purposed MX7k's or Vista's from retired Patrol units. They're actually really nicely designed, and have minimal split-fail from what I've seen.

 

[pdk9]

There are talks at the capitol of passing a law that would allow tow trucks to RUN CODE (R/B and sirens) to scenes. Right now, they don't run them until they get to the area of the scene. They use them to get through traffic when the traffic is backed up

That is a horrible idea! There is absolutely no need for that!


Often times when traffic is backed up, wreckers can drive on the shoulder of the highway/interstate to approach the scene, and there is almost always some detour to get to accidents on local roads. Sirens should only be utilized when their use will decrease response time to life-threatening/potentially life-threatening conditions, and even responding code 3 isn't a guarantee that EVs will reach your destination any faster. Biggest concern for me is safety by having all these wreckers, with drivers that either lack proper training or will abuse the siren to beat the competition to the next gig, responding code 3, & b/c of the huge responsibility/liability assoc. with C3, many counties/jurisdictions have protocols that limit when code 3 is merited by actual, bonafide EVs responding to calls

 

[Hollywood]

OHP's Troop cars are a purple blob as all are slick tops with that light package. The turnpike cars are actually setup with with Code 3 PSE 2100 bars (the new ones, solar panel, etc.) in half red (driver) half blue (passenger) with a C3 Amber traffic advisor on the rear deck.


On the wrecker issue... I've bitched about it for so long I don't bother anymore. Suffice it to say its retarded. Red and blue mean nothing in Oklahoma anymore now that most all wreckers run it, DOT, and private construction vehicles on DOT contracts are required to have it to receive the contract. Add REACT to the list with blue and it's just a cluster.

 

[JazzDad]

Off to the ring I go...

Sounds like the lyrics from a country western song.

 

[twodogs603]

Pretty bad when the back of an ambulance has more amber lights then a tow truck.

 

[GPC]

Time for me to piss people off.


Who gives a crap if the wrecker has red or blue lights as long they aren't going around pulling people over with them? People move over 100x better with blue and red lights instead of just an amber setup. If you don't believe that you haven't spent much time on the side of the road with just amber.


Also wreckers having sirens may not really be that bad of an idea. There are plenty of times where a wrecker is needed to lift a vehicles off of one another to get people out. They just need to be dispatched on whether the LEO or FD on scene want them to respond lights and siren.

 

[okc_f150]

The way it was explained to me was like this.


The sooner the wreckers get to the scene, the quicker the road gets opened up, the quicker those PD/FD units get cleared off the call, the sooner they can be back on the road responding to calls.


The wreckers would only be allowed to use the lights/siren when they have been called to a scene by PD. So this wouldn't apply to regular side-of-the-road breakdown calls, just major scenes.

 

[twodogs603]

Time for me to piss people off.

Who gives a crap if the wrecker has red or blue lights as long they aren't going around pulling people over with them? People move over 100x better with blue and red lights instead of just an amber setup. If you don't believe that you haven't spent much time on the side of the road with just amber.


Also wreckers having sirens may not really be that bad of an idea. There are plenty of times where a wrecker is needed to lift a vehicles off of one another to get people out. They just need to be dispatched on whether the LEO or FD on scene want them to respond lights and siren.

As far as people yielding to red and blue more so then amber. I disagree. People these days dont yield to any color warning lights.


Wreckers having sirens to get to an accident scenes? I disagree again.

 

[pdk9]

Who gives a crap if the wrecker has red or blue lights as long they aren't going around pulling people over with them? People move over 100x better with blue and red lights instead of just an amber setup. If you don't believe that you haven't spent much time on the side of the road with just amber.


Also wreckers having sirens may not really be that bad of an idea. There are plenty of times where a wrecker is needed to lift a vehicles off of one another to get people out.

A) The reason people don't move over for wreckers with "just an amber setup" is plain & simple: a wrecker is NOT an ACTUAL emergency vehicle.


B) Your statement just shows your lack of experience/knowledge of emergency responses, b/c (way too often) people do not move out of the way for EVs with red/blue lights and sirens blaring, so they're not going to magically part the seas for a wrecker with red/blue, AND, often times, code 3 responses of actual EVs do not significantly improve the response time, compared to a code 1 response to the same incident. So, "If you don't believe that you haven't spent much time" in an emerency vehicle with blue and red


C) 99.9% of the time, fire departments/rescue squads can temporarily stabilize vehicles by using a combination of bumper-mounted winches, cribbing, airbags, jacks, etc. to safely extricate people. A wrecker with red/blue that gets there 1-2 min faster isn't going to miraculously save the day, unless you're in Hollywood

The sooner the wreckers get to the scene, the quicker the road gets opened up, the quicker those PD/FD units get cleared off the call, the sooner they can be back on the road responding to calls.

Highway patrol is always gonna bitch about FD blocking lanes & try to quickly open up roadways no matter what, but I'm gonna block as many lanes as I need to protect my guys on scene & let them work at whatever speed allows them to safely get the job done, and if doing so causes a slight inconvenience to a few motorists caught in traffic, I won't lose any sleep. We work as promptly as we safely can, & as soon as all hazards are mitigated & pt.s have either AMA-ed or been transported, we will clear the scene to handle additional calls. And if another call comes in while we're on scene, the solution is a mutual aid company/station handling that for us, not a wrecker receiving EV privileges

 

[GPC]

A) The reason people don't move over for wreckers with "just an amber setup" is plain & simple: a wrecker is NOT an ACTUAL emergency vehicle.

I agree a wrecker is not an actual emergency vehicle but, people associate red and blue lights with emergency vehicles therefore people are way more likely to move over for them. I'm talking about on the side of the road not running code 3.

B) Your statement just shows your lack of experience/knowledge of emergency responses, b/c (way too often) people do not move out of the way for EVs with red/blue lights and sirens blaring, so they're not going to magically part the seas for a wrecker with red/blue, AND, often times, code 3 responses of actual EVs do not significantly improve the response time, compared to a code 1 response to the same incident. So, "If you don't believe that you haven't spent much time" in an emerency vehicle with blue and red

I don't have much experience with emergency responses and was just stating an idea and that it may or may not be a good idea for them to have that ability.


Also what I said was if you don't believe red or blue lights help with traffic moving over you have never spent much time on the SIDE of the road with an all amber setup. I was not talking about running Code 3.

C) 99.9% of the time, fire departments/rescue squads can temporarily stabilize vehicles by using a combination of bumper-mounted winches, cribbing, airbags, jacks, etc. to safely extricate people. A wrecker with red/blue that gets there 1-2 min faster isn't going to miraculously save the day, unless you're in Hollywood

I'm just stating what I have personally seen with wreckers being used for stabilization and lifting vehicles off of one another. It may or may not be used in your area that much but, it is here.

 

[lafd55]

Red and Blue Lights should only be used for emergency vehicles in life saving or crime stopping situations. PERIOD!!! In no way should a wrecker have any Red or Blue to the front. In no way would putting red and blue lights with a siren in a wrecker be beneficial to accident seems and most likely would create an incident themselves.

 

[twodogs603]

Virginia has a "Move over Law" and it now covers any vehicle on the side of the road with flashing lights--red, amber or blue. So the law is intended to give more safety to anyone working on the side of the road. But, people still dont move over. But they do get tickets. Thats one police officers love to write, and Im behind them 100%.

 

[lafd55]

Virginia has a "Move over Law" and it now covers any vehicle on the side of the road with flashing lights--red, amber or blue. So the law is intended to give more safety to anyone working on the side of the road. But, people still dont move over. But they do get tickets. Thats one police officers love to write, and Im behind them 100%.

I love when I see two Troop cars with a stop on the interstate, because you know most likely that the second unit is ready to pounce on whoever doesn't move over.

 

[RescueWV]

I agree a wrecker is not an actual emergency vehicle but, people associate red and blue lights with emergency vehicles therefore people are way more likely to move over for them. I'm talking about on the side of the road not running code 3.

You're right, MOST people associate red and blue with emergency vehicles and are more likely to move over for red and blue than amber.


But when people start seeing red and blue and making space for them, only to see that it's a tow truck, they'll start subconsciously assigning less importance to red and blue to the point that it loses its effectiveness whether its on a tow truck or an actual emergency vehicle.

 

[okc_f150]

But when people start seeing red and blue and making space for them, only to see that it's a tow truck, they'll start subconsciously assigning less importance to red and blue to the point that it loses its effectiveness whether its on a tow truck or an actual emergency vehicle.

But if the law changes to include tow trucks as "actual emergency vehicles", wouldn't they be just as important as other first responders?


(Playing devils advocate)

 

[wrecker44]

But if the law changes to include tow trucks as "actual emergency vehicles", wouldn't they be just as important as other first responders?

(Playing devils advocate)

Washington State Law.....RTTO licensed tow-trucks ARE Authorized Emergency Vehicles. We are protected by the same laws as Fire amd police while on scene. Doesn"t matter who you work for, or what color your lights are, we all deserve the best protection available to us. Washington REQUIRES Red lights on towtrucks, but it doesn't seem to be any more effective than amber. Washington state towtrucks don't run CODE to a scene, nor do we have sirens (nor would I want one lol), The red lighting requirement is meant for our protection while on scene, that's all.


RCW 46.61.030: Persons working on highway right-of-way ? Exceptions.


RCW 46.61.035: Authorized emergency vehicles.


RCW 46.61.210: Operation of vehicles on approach of emergency vehicles.


RCW 46.61.212: Approaching emergency zones ? Penalty ? Violation.


(o) Have a revolving, strobe, or intermittent red light with three hundred sixty degrees visibility. Trucks may also be equipped with flashing amber and/or white lights which may be used in conjunction with the red lamps. Additionally, trucks must also be equipped with a warning light visible from the driver seat which is energized when the red revolving light or flashing amber lights are activated.

 

[wrecker44]

Most driver's don't seem to respond to any color of lights anyhow. Just a lot of bad drivers and a combination of TOO many distractions while behind the wheel. I blame most of it on new technology available these days...The car companies seem to be loading up their new cars with as many distractions as possible....I'll name some of them off for ya:


-CELL PHONES and personal devices


-navigation systems


-onboard entertainment systems (DVD players/TV's in vehicles)


-over reliance and complacency used with Automated vehicle safety systems (back-up cameras, lane detection, automatic braking systems, and AWD/4wd)


Combine the above with simple things such as children in the vehicle, eating while driving, impairment, a nagging female yapping in your ear.......and you have a high probability for disaster lol.


I don't care what needs to be done, or what color lighting is for what. I just want to avoid being the one under the sheet in the following video.......


WARNING- GRAPHIC CONTENT

 

[patrol530]

Where the f*ck are the wreckers on the rotation list responding from? Here, you want to be on the rotation list, you have to be on scene within 30 minutes of the request, hardly a need for code 3 operation.

 

[wrecker44]

Where the f*ck are the wreckers on the rotation list responding from? Here, you want to be on the rotation list, you have to be on scene within 30 minutes of the request, hardly a need for code 3 operation.

Its the same here.... 30min to be on-scene. Additional time allowed for weather conditions, out of "assigned zone" responses, and specialized equipment requested. If they need us there faster, they would escort us....but that is a rare occurrence. We do heavy truck crash rotation calls as well, and sometimes there is someone trapped in the wreckage that the FD doesn't have the heavy equipment required to extract them, so that falls on us as well. Unfortunatly, most of the time we are lifting a tractor-trailer to recover a body (not a patient), so it doesn't matter how long it takes us to get on scene. They just tell us to get there ASAP.


I don't think wreckers should be responding CODE to crashes. I for one don't care about how backed traffic is, its not worth the risk to the towing company are the public to have heavy equipment speeding around town just to relieve congestion. If a city was to adopt such a policy for a "Quick-clearance" program or similer, it would need to implement standardized driver training and uniform emergency lighting requirements for such responders.


I like to think the states who have adopted red/blue lighting for tow-trucks have done so with the intent to improve responder safety. Weather its working or not is debatable, but i'm all for doing everything that's needed to give us as much protection as possible out there......because it doent really matter what color of lights you have on your rig when your laying under that sheet now does it??

 

[Skip Goulet]

Red and Blue Lights should only be used for emergency vehicles in life saving or crime stopping situations. PERIOD!!! In no way should a wrecker have any Red or Blue to the front. In no way would putting red and blue lights with a siren in a wrecker be beneficial to accident seems and most likely would create an incident themselves.

There was a bit of discussion on this on another thread. With the way rescue teams are now setup, I would agree in part with what you say. But in the old days before everyone had JAWS, wreckers were the only way to get someone out of a vehicle when they were pinned in. Except where local ordinances forbade it, wreckers in Texas have run red or red/blue for many years. And I've seen a number of them that also ran sirens. I don't think that is the case nowadays, however. Hi-Lo know the Texas statutes better than I do, but I believe there's wording somewhere that identifies wreckers as emergency vehicles.


A friend of mine in OK has a video available that is from old 16mm newsfilm shot in Corpus Christi from 1962-1972 by a TV reporter. All of the footage is from major vehicle accidents in and around Corpus Christi. Not only are there some spectacular light displays from the ambulances of the day; but there's considerable footage showing wreckers backing up to vehicles that still had people inside, and the wreckers literally jerking the cars apart to get people out. If they were hurt before....they were by the time that all happened; but what else could they do back then when proper rescue techniques weren't available. Another interesting aspect of the video is from the EMS perspective. In that 10-year-span of footage, you'll rarely see the use of backboards, and those that used backboards didn't use c-collars, and patients weren't secured to the boards. Now, I have more than 50 yrs myself in EMS (since Sept. 1960), and that's just the way things were done back then. By the late '60s in Lubbock we were beginning to properly use backboards, collars,etc., along with proper bandaging and splinting. But one time when we worked an indoor motorcycle race in Abilene in which we had to transport a patient with a tib/fib fracture. The nurses in the ER almost fainted when they saw that we had splinted the fracture and had properly secured the patient to the backboard. Their comment was: "You can't do that! You're just 'ambulance attendants'." A lot has changed. Here in Midland the wreckers all run red or red/blue. But in Lubbock, when I was there wreckers could run amber only. Now that has changed and they also run red/blue.